Combined air pump and cushion



Dec. 29k, 1953 J, 1 SUNDAY 2,664,241

COMBINED AIR PUMP AND CUSHION Filed June 22, 1951 INVENTOR. 3A/nfs d. @aA/.a y

mmmmfw Patented Dec. 29, 1953 COMBINED AIR PUMP AND CUSHION James J. Sunday, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Minno-Life Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 22, 1951, Serial No. 233,017

5 Claims.

This invention relates to air cushions for use in automobiles, row boats, on piers or other places by shermen. The air cushion has the double utility of aiiording a comfortable seat cushion and acting as an air pump to aerate the water in a minnow pail.

Experienced fishermen know that one of the troubles a fisherman experiences is the dying of minnows in the minnow pail due to the exhaustion of the oxygen in the water because of s many minnows in such a small amount of water. This is hard to prevent if one has to transmit the minnow pail and minnows over distances in a motor car.

When carrying the minnows in a pail in a boat, the water can be changed by pouring it out through a perforated cover and then lowering the bucket with the perforated cover below the water level in the lake or river. This is a diicult and troublesome job requiring the fisherman or guide to stand up in the boat with the possibility of upsetting it and often spilling water in the boat. Furthermore sometimes the cover comes loose in pouring out the water and all the minnows are lost.

My combined air pump and cushion aerates the water in the pail by simply getting oi the cushion and sitting down on the cushion again.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section of one end of a row boat and of the minnow pail, showing my cushion and the lower part of a man in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the cushion showing also a part of the hose for leading to the minnow pail. The section is taken on the iine 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken on the corresponding section lines of Fig. 2.

Fig. is a bottom elevation of the cushion and pump.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective of the bottom of the cushion showing the air inlet valve.

I may be the seat of a row boat, automobile, or other vehicle. The rubber air cushion and pump is designated 2. This comprises a bowl 3 molded of rubber or other air impervious iiexible plastic or other material. The bottom 4 will be similarly made and the bottom and the top and sides (the bowl) can be vulcanized together at the turned out flanges which form, when vulcanized, the single ange 5 appearing in the drawings. This forms what I call in the claims the air reservoir. Perhaps the whole cushion can be molded as one piece.

The bottom 4 is provided with peripheral supporting ribs 6 and radial supporting ribs 1. The

2 peripheral ribs 6 are interrupted at 8 and 9 to allow air into this sector which contains the air inlet valve Il) provided with stem I I. This stem projects into a hub l2 supported in opening I3 by radial ribs or spokes I4 which unite with a peripheral rib or rim I5 around the opening I3 which has the notches I6 to let the air pass. Valve I0 is a thin rubber disk which overlaps the opening I3 and also the bases of the rib i5.

A coiled spring I1 between the top and bottom walls tends to keep the cushion extended and iniiated. The side of the bowlpart of the cushion has a teat I B. This takes and grips a small piece of tube I9 and the rubber tube 2t ts over the outer end of this. 'I'he rubber tube has a valve 2| interposed in this air line leading to the minnow bucket 22.

The spring is centered in circular rib like bosses 23 in the bottom and 24 in the top wall.

The bowl part of the cushion has reinforcing 25 and fills the cushion. When he sits down again.

the check valve closes and air is forced out the teat and through the tube into the bucket. This may be done as many times as is judged necessary.

What I claim is:

l. An air seat cushion and aerating device comprising a bowl member having top and side walls formed of a flexible but self-supporting, air impervious, rubber sheet material, said cushion also having a substantially fiat bottom wall formed of a iiexible self-supporting, air impervious, rubber sheet material, spring means within said cushion acting between said top and bottom walls to normally maintain said cushion in an expanded condition, said bottom wall having on its lower face a peripheral rib and a plurality of radial ribs for elevating said bottom wall from a supporting surface on which the cushion is positioned, said peripheral rib serving to support the outer peripheral portions oi' said bottom wall and said radial ribs serving to support the portion of said bottom wall spaced inwardly of the outer peripheral edge thereof, said cushion having an air outlet, said bottom wall being provided with an air inlet opening, a. check valve controlling said air inlet opening, said peripheral rib having one or more openings therein for permitting air to flow to said air i11- let opening when the cushion is positioned on a supporting surface.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said top wall is provided on the inner face thereof with a plurality of reinforcing ribs which serve to enhance the self-supporting nature of said top wall.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 Whereinsaid bottom wall is provided on the lower surface throiivitl'rfa extending jcircurnierentially arouh the edge of said air inlet opening and including a plurality of radial ribs extending across said opening and connected with said Circumferential rib, said last mentionedkradial ribs intersecting within the area dened by said air inlet opening to form a hub,`said check valve comprising a flexible rubber disc Within said cushion overlying said air inlet opening, and means connecting a portion of said disc withsaid hub, l K L 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said hub is provided with an axial vthrough opening, said disc having a stem engaged within said axial .'opening inrsaid hub.

5. An air seat cushionand aerating device comprising a bowl memberlhaving top'and side Walls formed of ."aexible but. selfesupporting, air im- "perviene, rubber sheet material, said cushion valso .having a substantially. ilat bottoinwall formed o a flexible Vself-supporting airimpervious, rubber sheet,` material, Vspringrneans within said cushion actingbetween said top and bottom walls to normally maintain said cushion in an expanded condition, said bottom W'alLhaving on its lower Jface a peripheral rib and a plurality of transversely 4 extending ribs which intersect each other and connect with said peripheral rib to divide the lower face of said bottom Wall into a plurality of adjacently positioned sections separated from one another by said ribs, said air cushion having an air outlet and said bottom wall having an air inlet opening, a check valve controlling said air inlet opening, said air inlet opening being located on said bottom Wall Within the extent of one of said sections, the section of said bottom Wall in which said air inlet opening is disposed being defined along one side thereof by a portion of said peripheral rib having openings therein to permit air to pass into said section and to said valve when the cushion is positioned on a supporting surface.

JAMES J. SUNDAY.

References Cited in the me of this patent 

